I woke up this morning with a song on my mind - Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus. I couldn’t remember all the words so I searched for the lyrics: ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss: From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead, Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.’ Stand Up for Jesus - that is something that is really needed by the eighty-three percent of Americans that identify themselves as Christians. Sixty-two percent say theyre evangelical Christians. So why are all the ungodly things going on in America? Why can others dictate what we as Christians can and can’t do - whether we can have a nativity scene? I ran across this story: The evangelist Billy Sunday used to tell of a professing Christian who got a job in a lumber camp that had the reputation of being very ungodly. A friend, hearing that the man had been hired, said to him, “If those lumberjacks ever find out you’re a Christian, you’re going to be in for a hard time!” The man responded, “I know, but I need the job!” The next morning he left for camp. A year later, he came home for a visit. While in town, he met his friend who asked, “Well, how did it go? Did they give you a hard time because you’re a Christian?” “Oh no, not at all,” the man replied. “They didn’t give me a bit of trouble—they never even found out!” It’s difficult to take a stand for God’s truth when you are overly concerned with what people think about you. When we worry about what other people think, we let them control us. There is a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what other people want us to be and trying to become like that rather than just being what God made us to be. When you worry about what other people think we dont always do the right thing; instead, we do what we think everybody wants us to do - which is often the opposite of what God’s truth compels you to do; that’s when we miss Gods best for us. Quit trying to please everybody! Remember that nobody can make you feel inferior unless you give them permission. The Apostle Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” like the song says: ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone, The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own; Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer, Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.’ 1 Corinthians 16 says, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” Nothing you ever do will make God love you less; Nothing you ever do will make God love you more. He loves you completely right now. That kind of confidence boost should give you the courage you need to take a stand. Think about the Savior’s death on your behalf. And, the next opportunity you get, show up and do whatever you can to let others know that you Stand Up for Jesus! Even if you formerly were a secret disciple, God will use you to render valuable service for the Savior. ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long; This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song; To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be; He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.’
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 09:15:28 +0000